Draft Street's senior analyst's take on the prospects: "My Big Board is not a mock draft, and does not factor in team needs. It is simply a ranking of the best draft-eligible prospects in the country."

9. CB Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State (5-11, 199, 4.52): Quick feet, loose hips and a fluid turning motion make Dennard a classic cover corner capable of shutting down half the field. Dennard allowed only three completions in 31 passes of 15-plus yards targeted against him last season, and was recognized with the Thorpe Award as the nation's elite defensive back. A solid workout in Indianapolis eased concerns about his straight-line speed.

11. CB Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State (6-0, 202, 4.37): With the NFL increasingly favoring offenses, the value of playmakers on either side of the ball has never been higher. Gilbert led the Big 12 with seven interceptions in 2013 and returned six kickoffs for touchdowns over his career. There are other defensive backs in this class who offer a more well-rounded game, but in terms of size, agility and speed, no cornerback offers a more intriguing skill-set than the Cowboys star.

February 27th, 2014, 10:39 am

millam21

Pop Warner Vet

Joined: October 30th, 2011, 8:16 pmPosts: 110

Re: CB Darqueze Dennard runs a 4.42

Why does everyone seem so hellbent on us drafting a corner in the first round? Sure our corners have played like poop, but we need to quit throwin bodies at the posistion just to see if they are instant hits. We now have more pressing needs in the secondary at safety. Quite frankly our depth at corner is also alot better than our depth at WR too. The top end talents at corner dont impress me, if we wanted to invest a late round pick in one, so be it. But for our first pick, we have far greater issues. I will be P.O.ed if we draft a corner at 10. Clinton Dix and Pryor both look like better NFL players than Dennard or Gilbert.

March 1st, 2014, 4:07 pm

liontrax

1st Round Pick

Joined: March 21st, 2005, 2:11 pmPosts: 1201Location: Wolverine, Mi.

Re: CB Darqueze Dennard runs a 4.42

millam21 wrote:

Why does everyone seem so hellbent on us drafting a corner in the first round? Sure our corners have played like poop, but we need to quit throwin bodies at the posistion just to see if they are instant hits. We now have more pressing needs in the secondary at safety. Quite frankly our depth at corner is also alot better than our depth at WR too. The top end talents at corner dont impress me, if we wanted to invest a late round pick in one, so be it. But for our first pick, we have far greater issues. I will be P.O.ed if we draft a corner at 10. Clinton Dix and Pryor both look like better NFL players than Dennard or Gilbert.

Have to agree about safety being a greater need. Maybe with a coaching staff on board that knows how to develop young corners we will see more promising results from our current group. Not sure if Pryor or Clinton-Dix rates the 10th pick. We'll have to see whats available on draft day. Receiver is still the greatest need, but is Evans, Beckham, Cooks, etc... worthy of that selection? Might not matter as Mayhew always professes to take best value.

March 1st, 2014, 7:12 pm

kdsberman

Team MVP

Joined: February 20th, 2007, 10:51 pmPosts: 3426Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: CB Darqueze Dennard runs a 4.42

millam21 wrote:

Why does everyone seem so hellbent on us drafting a corner in the first round? Sure our corners have played like poop, but we need to quit throwin bodies at the posistion just to see if they are instant hits. We now have more pressing needs in the secondary at safety. Quite frankly our depth at corner is also alot better than our depth at WR too. The top end talents at corner dont impress me, if we wanted to invest a late round pick in one, so be it. But for our first pick, we have far greater issues. I will be P.O.ed if we draft a corner at 10. Clinton Dix and Pryor both look like better NFL players than Dennard or Gilbert.

Why does everyone seem so hellbent on us drafting a corner in the first round? Sure our corners have played like poop, but we need to quit throwin bodies at the posistion just to see if they are instant hits. We now have more pressing needs in the secondary at safety. Quite frankly our depth at corner is also alot better than our depth at WR too. The top end talents at corner dont impress me, if we wanted to invest a late round pick in one, so be it. But for our first pick, we have far greater issues. I will be P.O.ed if we draft a corner at 10. Clinton Dix and Pryor both look like better NFL players than Dennard or Gilbert.

I completely agree. Will not be impressed with a CB at #10.

I hate to say it, because I have been pushing for a 1st round CB for a long time. But, I can't say that I like this years crop.

March 1st, 2014, 10:32 pm

Pablo

RIP Killer

Joined: August 6th, 2004, 9:21 amPosts: 9645Location: Dallas

Re: CB Darqueze Dennard runs a 4.42

So you would have like the Lions to have taken Milliner last year? I'm wondering if the Jets would like a do over since they kept benching him over and over? The Cowboys are already regretting trading up for Morris Claiborne the year before that. First round CBs are really hit and miss, but I guess the same can be said about almost any position.

So you would have like the Lions to have taken Milliner last year? I'm wondering if the Jets would like a do over since they kept benching him over and over? The Cowboys are already regretting trading up for Morris Claiborne the year before that. First round CBs are really hit and miss, but I guess the same can be said about almost any position.

I dont know if you're asking me or not, but i was TOTALLY against drafting Milliner last year. I could not find what all the hype was on him.

I'd say Mayhew has done a pretty good job at going for 1st round CBs. He hasn't pulled the trigger on any of the ones that ended up being bad or slow to improve and tried to trade up for Patrick Peterson. I really can't think of a 1st round CB that the Lions made a mistake passing on. Maybe Vontae Davis in 2009, but he's had some issues over the years and wasn't very consistent in Miami.

March 4th, 2014, 1:37 am

Killwill25

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: March 5th, 2009, 8:42 pmPosts: 2358Location: Brooklyn, NY

Re: CB Darqueze Dennard runs a 4.42

kdsberman wrote:

Pablo wrote:

So you would have like the Lions to have taken Milliner last year? I'm wondering if the Jets would like a do over since they kept benching him over and over? The Cowboys are already regretting trading up for Morris Claiborne the year before that. First round CBs are really hit and miss, but I guess the same can be said about almost any position.

I dont know if you're asking me or not, but i was TOTALLY against drafting Milliner last year. I could not find what all the hype was on him.

I wanted Rhodes last year. Not at #5 but if we took a CB earlier in the draft I wanted it to be him.

No, I was replying to Billy's statement above that he has been pushing for the Lions to take a CB in the draft for a long time.

To answer your question. Yes, I did want Milliner. Yes, he had a less than spectacular 1st season. CB's rarely dominate in their first couple of seasons. Rod Woodson,himself, says you won't see a CB's true abilities until year 3 when he has the NFL and his teams specific system down pat.

March 4th, 2014, 8:24 pm

DJ-B

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: April 5th, 2007, 5:51 pmPosts: 2347

Re: CB Darqueze Dennard runs a 4.42

Which circles back to how a 1st rnd CB this year wont help us very much in the next few years anyways.

March 5th, 2014, 7:14 pm

Pablo

RIP Killer

Joined: August 6th, 2004, 9:21 amPosts: 9645Location: Dallas

Re: CB Darqueze Dennard runs a 4.42

DJ-B wrote:

Which circles back to how a 1st rnd CB this year wont help us very much in the next few years anyways.

And how all those young CBs we have invested in the last three years now need to step up. That said, Billy I do understand where you are coming from as well from a dire need perspective.

Which circles back to how a 1st rnd CB this year wont help us very much in the next few years anyways.

And how all those young CBs we have invested in the last three years now need to step up. That said, Billy I do understand where you are coming from as well from a dire need perspective.

Yes, I was thinking all day today, while I was driving, about the draft 2 years ago when we drafted 3 CB's. Bentley should be ready to produce as a regular CB now. And Greenwood showed flashes of good play last season.

But, my hopes are on Slay. In a normal year, he was good enough to be a 1st round CB. Just, CB, was loaded in the draft last year. Slay is also working with Rod Woodson last off season and this off season. Woodson believes in him. That is good enough for me. So, I think we can afford to be patient with the CB position this year. Our more pressing need is at Safety to replace Delmas.

March 6th, 2014, 8:46 pm

sweetd20

Pro Bowl Player

Joined: October 13th, 2005, 9:03 amPosts: 2451

Re: CB Darqueze Dennard runs a 4.42

Safety is a bigger need but I'm not wowed by Clinton-Dix or Pryor as guys worthy of a top ten pick in the draft. Out of the two I think Pryor has potential to be great but when I watch Clinton-Dix athletically he just doesn't jump out as a top notch NFL player. I'd rather see them fill the S spot through FA with Chris Clemons from the Dolphins.

As far as CB goes Gilbert isn't my first choice at #10 but he does have the potential to fill the void the Lions have had in the secondary for quite some time, that is he can actually intercept passes. How many times have we seen DBs drop balls only to watch them give up a big play on the very next play? Not only can Gilbert do that but he's think TD when he gets the ball in his hands. Both of those things are what the new coaching staff is stressing. Like I said he isn't really the guy at #10 I'd be clamoring for them to get but I wouldn't throw my hands up in the air like I have done too many times over the last twenty years.